My Job Or My Life?

Looking back over the past 7 years and trying to put up my new website, I wonder how I managed to come up with all of my little friends. If you could see my little Kitchen Table Studio and the areas that my work spills into, you would probably be asking why I ever wondered that at all. There are an amazing amount of pattern pieces, files and sheets of paper. Sometimes I think my ideas have all dried up. I have ideas yet to be sewn to pick from when the block hits, but then, at some point the ideas come back. Sometimes it's one or two here or there. Sometimes it's a barrage and I am torn between wanting so badly to fall asleep and being afraid that I'll forget by morning. I've been known to race out of bed and go straight for paper and pencil.

After I finish writing this, I will in fact, end up in the Recliner Studio. Tonight, I'll do some detail stitching for my Simply Primitive offerings on Sunday night. Paper and pencil are already right beside me in case I am inspired and I am hopeful that the approaching storm is not too bad. Perhaps If I am lucky, tomorrow will find me working on several things, such as finish work, uploading and pattern masters. This house has a life to it and other than a few hours at night, it is rarely quiet and peaceful!

I've learned over the years, that this is who I am. There is no off button. I can't just do this 9-5 and have weekends off. I feed my heart and soul with it and balance the rest of my life as much as I can. I can't imagine the concept of retirement and my girls can attest to the fact that even on vacation, I bring a few things to work on. I am fortunate to do what I love and even more fortunate that friends and family understand. I can't imagine working for someone else again. As a fellow artist told me at our last show, "Where else can I walk into work in my pj's, a cup of coffee and be a half an hour late." It's not an easy job, but it does have a few perks, no pun intended.